1. The greatest
advantage you will have this year is knowing
the will of God
"What advantage then
hath the Jew? or what profit [is there] of
circumcision? Much every way: chiefly,
because that unto them were committed the
oracles of God. (KJV verses 1,2)
In verses one and two, Paul
addresses the question: "What advantage
is there being a Jew?" The advantage, as
explained in verse two, is that God has
committed His Word to them. The word
"oracles" is the Greek word logion,
which means an "utterance of God".
The utterance of God is the Word of God.
Therefore, the Jews were entrusted with the
Word of God – to guard it, to believe
it. How can we apply it to ourselves? As
leaders, we are also but in an advantage.
Leadership causes you, or at least should, to
press in to the Lord even more, for how can
you lead out of what you do not know for
yourself? We are in an improved position, but
not a sinless one. One of the greatest
resolutions you can make for this year is to
know the will of God. The clearest way to
know this is by getting to know His Word.
They are one. How can you re-commit in this
area? Where are you struggling? Determine to
find out what God has to say about it. Find
the freedom you desire. Check the manual.
2. Only
because you don't believe it, it doesn't make
it any less true
"For what if some did
not believe? shall their unbelief make the
faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea,
let God be true, but every man a liar; as it
is written, That thou mightest be justified
in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when
thou art judged. "( KJV verses 3, 4)
Unbelief in God's Word does
not make it any less true or His promises
without effect. I know that there may have
been things you wanted to come to fruition in
2004, but the season of your harvest did not
come in your timing. Faith comes by hearing,
and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10
verse 17). Keep your ears and eyes on the
Word. God's Word has power, but it will not
profit you if you do not mix it with faith
(Hebrews 4 verse 2). You can make the Word of
God of no effect in your personal life by
your own traditions (Mark 7 verse 13). What
traditions are you holding on to that arraign
Him? What charges have you placed against God
in your mind? In what mode do you think of
Him? Promises are contingent upon
faithfulness and obedience. What is God
telling you about prosperity (2 Corinthians 8
verse 9; 3 John 2)? What is He telling you
about healing (Isaiah 53 verse 5; Matthew 8
verse 17; 1 Peter 2 verse 24)? In spite of
your circumstances, what does God say about
it in His Word? Are you arraigning Him just
because it didn't come to pass for you as
fast as you would like it? There is a
process. There is a time to lay seeds before
you harvest. You can't harvest without seed.
What seeds have you been planting? What's in
the garden of your heart? God is completely
innocent of every charge we can bring against
Him. You may think you aren't charging God,
but what is your attitude toward what He
promises in His Word? God remains faithful.
He will not act in behalf of those who don't
believe. I read an awesome statement that
sums it up: "A believer lies when he
takes sides against the Word of God. To
confess sickness, poverty, and failure is to
lie. God says you are healed, blessed, and
victorious!" God is truth (John 14 verse
16). Dare to believe that God is true and His
truth reigns in your life!
3. Sin isn't a
good thing, so cut it out
"But if our
unrighteousness commend the righteousness of
God, what shall we say? [Is] God unrighteous
who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man). God
forbid: for then how shall God judge the
world? For if the truth of God hath more
abounded through my lie unto his glory; why
yet am I also judged as a sinner? And not
[rather], (as we be slanderously reported,
and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do
evil, that good may come? whose damnation is
just." (KJV verses 5 through 8)
Paul was criticized for
preaching the grace of God. He was accused of
encouraging people to sin. In these verses he
rejects those allegations. When we sin, we
can clearly see the love of God, but that
doesn't mean we can continue to live as we
please. We must conform to how the Word says
we ought to live – in our speech, our
dress, our actions. If we could do what we
wanted, if sin was a good thing, then God
would be unjust judging the world. Sin
increases our appreciation for the mercy,
goodness, and holiness of God. Those who have
lived a life of sin and then come to the
revelation of Jesus, the Christ, understand
this more than those who are living a
"pretty good" life. Praise be to
God, that sin is overruled in the lives of
the believer when we fully repent of it. We
must remember, there is a cost for our sin.
It was paid through the precious blood and
agony of our Savior. God is gracious. He is
kind. He's granted unto us a way to hook up
to Him and reap the benefits of being His
children. Honor your Father by honoring His
Word. Make it first place in your life so
that we may " lay aside every weight,
and the sin which doth so easily beset [us],
and let us run with patience the race that is
set before us, " (Hebrews 12 verse 1
KJV) Endeavor to lay your sin aside. There
are things only you can do. You have a
destiny to fulfill. This world needs you. God
needs you to do what you were created to do.
Receive the grace of God and "press
toward the mark for the prize of the high
calling of God in Christ
Jesus"(Philippians 3 verse 14). Make
2005 the best year of your life!
